Options

Triple A Enrichment Program Options

2017-2018

Please Note: Students who are enrolled in the Full-time Program can choose to supplement their program with courses from the a la carte options. All Meridian School students are eligible to participate in any of the options. Students do NOT need to be enrolled in the Full-time/Extended Day Program to participate in a la carte offerings.

Triple A Registration Process:

Each program option has a unique registration process. Carefully review the registration process for each option.

-- Step 2: Contact the director, David Cross, for more information, payment instructions and instrument testing at dcross@austin.rr.com

This course offers small-group and full-band experiences covering the fundamentals of reading music, tone production, and technique for the following instruments:

Woodwinds: flute, oboe, clarinet, alto saxophone

Brasses: french horn, trumpet, euphonium and tuba

Percussion: snare drum, xylophone, and electric bass

Students will be divided by ability into three groups:

Beginner Band - (for students with no experience and have never played an instrument before) This ensemble will use Essential Elements Book 1 as their textbook. The class will meet Tuesday and Thursday from 3 - 3:45. Performance opportunities will include a Fall Concert, Solo and Ensemble Festival, and Spring Concert.

Intermediate Band - (for students who have shown a mastery of Essential Elements Book 1 and at least one year of experience). This ensemble will use Essential Elements Book 2 as their textbook. The class will meet Tuesday and Thursday from 3:45 - 4:30. Performance opportunities will include a Fall Concert, Solo and Ensemble Festival, and Spring Concert. Students from this band will be given the opportunity to audition for the Cen-Tex Honor Band or the TMEA All-Region Band.

Advanced Band - (for students who have shown a mastery of Essential Elements Book 2 and two or more years of experience with band director's approval). This ensemble will use Essential Elements Book 3 as their textbook. The class will meet Tuesday and Thursday from 4:30 - 5:15. Performance opportunities will include a Fall Concert, Solo and Ensemble Festival, and Spring Concert. Students from this band will be given the opportunity to audition for the Cen-Tex Honor Band or the TMEA All-Region Band.

In the one-hour classes, students work in pairs to complete a new building challenge each week. They bring the motors & remote controls, along with LEGO® Brick kits and instruction guides on tablet computers. Each week, students will be taught one lesson and will build one motorized or technical model as part of the Learning Unit. Students enjoy creative exploration building time in each class.

They provide a weekly email summary of educational concepts and vocabulary taught in each class, with a picture of the model, so families can explore concepts and build together at home.

Every student will build his or her own custom LEGO® mini-figure, will use it to interact with the building models throughout the 6-week class session, and then will take it home to keep! (Students re-use the motorized model kit parts each week, so the models do not go home.)

They offer two difficulty levels for each model. That means experienced builders will be challenged, and all students will build confidence as they develop skills.

Class lessons are independent, so if a student is absent, s/he will be able to successfully participate in future classes. However, makeup classes will not be offered.

Spring Session 1:

BrickLab Builders: Creatures and Critters

Explore some of our world's special creatures, through hands-on building projects and some imagination. Students will discover a new animal and habitat each week, and will demonstrate the diversity of wildlife adaptations, the differences in habitats, and examples of species survival. Students work with a partner on a new building project each week, plus enjoy creative building time with LEGO® bricks and their imaginations!. Emails with concepts, vocabulary, and a picture of the model allow families to explore and build together after class. Everyone takes home a custom LEGO® minifigure each session! (Students re-use the model kit parts each week, so models don't go home.) You may register for either - or both - of our two different 6-week learning units each semester.

Spring Session 2:

BrickLab Builders: Tech and Tools

Explore simple tools and complex technology through hands-on building projects and some imagination. Students will discover a new tool or technological innovation each week, will create examples of the solutions that tools provide us, and will demonstrate differences between inventions and discovery. Students work with a partner on a new building project each week, plus enjoy creative building time with LEGO® bricks and their imaginations Emails with concepts, vocabulary, and a picture of the model allow families to explore and build together after class. Everyone takes home a custom LEGO® minifigure each session! (Students re-use the model kit parts each week, so models don't go home.) You may register for either or both of our two different 6-week learning units each semester.

All students interested in Creative Brick Builders must have a Triple A Enrichment Program Registration Packet and Program Selection Form on file. You must complete the 3-step Triple A registration process and pay the registration fee to be considered enrolled:

Register directly with Creative Brick Builders at www.creativebrickbuilders.comor call 512-388-9003 in addition to filling out the Triple A registration paperwork and follow their independent payment processes.

To change from Creative Brick Builders to another, please first withdraw from the activity your student is leaving. Then select the new activity by completing the Program Selection Form. (There is no need to complete another Registration Packet.)

Chess, 2nd-10th $120 fall / $130 spring one-time fee

Wednesday mornings 7:00am - 8:00am

FALL: 17 one-hour sessions -- August 16 - December 13, 2017

SPRING: 19 one-hour sessions -- January 10, 2018 - May 23, 2018

How to register

To register and for payment instructions, contact Mr. Gaiffe at ggaiffe@att.net. Returning members are not required to fill out a registration form. New chess club members will be sent a registration form to complete.Fees may be paid directly to Mr. Gaiffe via check or paypal.If using paypal, use Mr. Gaiffe’s e-mail and note your child’s name and “Meridian Chess Club” in the comment field.

Class will begin at 7:00 a.m. and end a few minutes before 8:00 a.m.

Starting January 10th, Meridian will again be offering CHESS as an extra-curricular activity on Wednesday mornings. Class will begin at 7:00 a.m and end a few minutes before 8:00 a.m. Middle school students will be given additional instructions until 8:20 a.m. The program will continue through May 23rd.

Second through tenth grade students are eligible to participate. K - 2nd grade students who know how the pieces move are also allowed to attend. Second through tenth grade students do not have to know how to play chess. In the first two weeks, the class will be divided into groups. The beginning students will be taught how to play, while more advanced students will be given chess challenges and instruction designed to further their growth. By the end of the year, students will have learned the rules of chess, basic strategies, tactics, checkmating patterns and good sportsmanship. Students will be prepared to play in USCF-rated chess tournaments, the first of which will be held at Casis Elementary on January 27th.

Expert level player and certified chess director, and coach Mr. Gary Gaiffe will be teaching the class. Mr. Gaiffe has coached many local school teams over the past 20 years and organizes rated tournaments for both student and adult players.

Chess club meetings will be held in the primary cafeteria, which can be accessed through the courtyard gate that will open from 6:55 a.m. to 7:10 a.m. Should you have any questions, please contact Mr. Gaiffe directly at ggaiffe@att.net.

As we surround ourselves with technology, learning to code has become a fundamental skill needed for our children to confidently navigate the world they are going to graduate into.

Recognizing this need, Meridian World School and CodeWizardsHQ are partnering to offer a comprehensive coding education program. Due to space/laptop restrictions, enrollment into the program is limited to 24 students on a first come, first serve basis.

-- Step 3: Look for an emailed invoice within 10 business days. Once you receive the invoice via email, follow the instructions to pay on-line.

Students who need after school care on early release Wednesdays can have fun engaging in indoor activities and outdoor playtime. The Early Release Wednesday Program begins at school dismissal and ends at 4:00pm. The Wednesday schedule is included on the After School Enrichment full-time program daily schedule. The registration fee is due via on-line payment when the invoice is received. On-line monthly payments start August 2017 and will be due on the 1st of each month.

To change from Early Release Wednesday to another activity/program, please first withdraw from the activity your student is leaving. Then select the new activity by completing the Program Selection Form. (There is no need to complete another Registration Packet.)

FLL Lego Robotics, 4th-8th $200 for the 2017-2018 Season

Tomorrow’s innovators practice imaginative thinking and teamwork. Guided by two or more adult Coaches, FIRST LEGO League* teams (up to 10 members, grades 4-8**) research a real-world problem such as food safety, recycling, energy, etc., and are challenged to develop a solution. They also must design, build, program a robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS®, then compete on a table-top playing field.

How to register:

Fill out the digital registration form that was provided to those who attended the Informational meeting on August 29th or returned a printed flyer received at Meet the Teacher.

Students who have registered, received confirmation and have paid in full, are invited to come to after school meetings on the Fridays indicated below. After school meetings are from 3:45 to 5:30. We DO NOT meet every Friday, please see the meeting dates below.

FIRST LEGO League Jr. gives early elementary school students and their adult Coaches the opportunity to work and create together while they explore science and technology concepts. Teams will complete Lego builds related to this year’s challenge, Aqua Adventure.

How to register:

Fill out the digital registration form that was provided to those who attended the Informational meeting on August 29th or returned a printed flyer received at Meet the Teacher.

Students who have registered, received confirmation and have paid in full, are invited to come to after school meetings on the Fridays indicated below. After school meetings are from 3:45 to 5:30. We DO NOT meet every Friday, please see the meeting dates below.

-- Step 3: Look for an emailed invoice within 10 business days. Once you receive the invoice via email, follow the instructions to pay on-line.

This program starts at school dismissal and ends at 6:00pm, Monday-Friday. Students are automatically enrolled in several innovative courses throughout the year as part of the base tuition. The tuition includes early release Wednesday. Check out the after school enrichment daily schedule and enrichment calendar for activity details. The registration fee is due via on-line payment when the invoice is received. On-line monthly payments start August 2017 and will be due on the 1st of each month.

To change from Full-time/Extended Day to another activity/program, please first withdraw from the activity your student is leaving. Then select the new activity by completing the Program Selection Form. (There is no need to complete another Registration Packet.)

The Mad Science approach to science is fun, hands-on, and incorporates the educational standards required by the Texas standardized tests. There will be two awesome six-week sessions that will include six amazing topics. Join the fun and become a junior “Mad Scientist”.

All students interested in Mad Science must have a Triple A Enrichment Program Registration Packet and Program Selection Form on file. You must complete the 3-step Triple A registration process and pay the registration fee to be considered enrolled:

Complete the Online Registration Packet (one per child)

Complete the Online Program Selection Form (one per family)

Register directly with Mad Science at http://register.madscience.org/austin/ or call 512-892-1143 in addition to filling out the Triple A registration paperwork and follow their independent payment processes.

To change from Mad Science to another, please first withdraw from the activity your student is leaving. Then select the new activity by completing the Program Selection Form. (There is no need to complete another Registration Packet.)

Mandarin Chinese, K-3rd

K-1st grade, Wednesdays 1:00 - 1:50 and 2:00 - 2:50

Fall $210 (14 weeks) - - August 15 - November 30, 2017

Spring $240 (16 weeks) - - January 9 - May 3, 2018

*** Pay for the full school year by August 1, 2017 for a discounted price of $395 ***

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE - Meridian School wants all students to have the opportunity to participate. Financial assistance is available for those who need it. Please contact Eileen Kuhn at e.kuhn@mwschool.org to learn more about financial assistance.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE - Meridian School wants all students to have the opportunity to participate. Financial assistance is available for those who need it. Please contact Eileen Kuhn at e.kuhn@mwschool.org to learn more about financial assistance.

3rd graders who participated in Mandarin Chinese during the 2016-2017 school year must register for the 2017-2018 school year through fliec.com

-- Step 3: Deliver check/money order for payment made payable to FLIEC to the Meridian School Primary Office by August 1st (write Mandarin Chinese, student full name and grade in the memo section)

FLIEC Mandarin Chinese has been designed by a Chinese-language professor with twenty years of experience teaching foreign languages at college level by adapting the most current foreign language acquisition research and methodology to K-12 education needs. This immersion-style program will allow your child to begin the process of learning how to speak, understand and write Mandarin Chinese using some of the most effective and fun ways to acquire a language: songs and games, task-based learning, total physical response, story telling and performance, and practical role-play activities geared to developing both linguistic and cultural proficiency. In the first semester of Beginning Mandarin Chinese, children learn how to greet and introduce themselves in Chinese, how to talk about themselves (grade in school, subjects they like, hobbies, likes and dislikes) and how to describe their families members and friends. In the second semester of Beginning Mandarin Chinese children reinforce the basic language skills acquired the first semester, and learn to perform a variety of survival tasks such as making new friends, buying things, or ordering food. FLIEC plans on adding grades every year so as to serve the needs of your child up to high-school and AP Mandarin Chinese test preparation.

Martial Arts, 2nd-12th $100 registration $100 monthly

NOW FULL

2 classes per week on Wednesday and Friday

2nd-5th grade / Session 1 -- Limited Space

Wednesday 1:00-1:45

Friday 3:30-4:15

6th-12th grade / Session 2 -- Limited Space

Wednesday 2:00-2:45

Friday 4:30-5:15

September 2017 - May 2018

How to register

-- Step 1: Fill out the Triple A On-line Registration Packet

-- Step 2: Fill out the Triple A On-line Program Selection Form

-- Step 3: Look for an emailed invoice within 10 business days. Once you receive the invoice via email, follow the instructions to pay on-line.

-- Step 4: If needed, contact the instructor, Master Lenard Swain, for more information at sifuswain@gmail.com

The Shaolin Do Kung Fu and Tai Chi mission is to foster self-improvement and personal development through focused training in the martial arts. They promote physical fitness and positive social interaction in a courteous and fun atmosphere. The guiding principles of their mission in the program are Self-Defense, Self-Confidence, Self-Discipline, and Health. Each class is geared toward advancement in their 4 guiding principles through fun and energetic training in martial arts techniques and mental training activities. Classes begin with a warm-up, followed by group class review, then training of new techniques including time for individual practice and questions, and finally ending class by bringing students together with another group activity. Parents are encouraged to actively participate in their child’s martial arts experience. Each student will have access to advancement material via the Shaolin Do Training Manual given to each student during their first class. Additionally, students are required to practice outside of class in order to qualify for rank advancement exams. Homework practice sheets will be given to all students. In an effort to challenge students to reach their maximum potential, they will have monthly achievement challenges. Although these challenges are optional, all students are highly encouraged to participate. Students will receive special recognition for successfully completing these challenges. The one-time $100 registration fee includes uniform, Shaolin-Do Training Manual and group training equipment. The $100 monthly membership includes class sessions, exam fees, belts and meet and greet with Grandmaster Sin Kwang The.

To change from Martial Arts to another, please first withdraw from the activity your student is leaving. Then select the new activity by completing the Program Selection Form. (There is no need to complete another Registration Packet.)

National Geographic Bee, 4th-8th, no cost

How to register:

Fill out the digital registration link that was provided to those who attended the Informational meeting on August 29th or returned a printed flyer received at Meet the Teacher.

Students who have registered and received confirmation are invited to come to after school meetings on the Fridays (and one Thursday in February*) indicated below. After school meetings are from 3:45 to 5:00. We DO NOT meet every Friday, please see the meeting dates below.

-- Step 3: Contact the director, Aurora Zenfell for payment instructions and other information at azenfell@gmail.com.

There will be a Meet & Greet info session for Beginner Level 1 and Beginner Level 2 students on Monday, August 21th 3:30-5:00 in the Music Room. Classes will start Monday, August 28th.

Beginning Level 1 (Grades 2-3):

Open to 2nd and 3rd grade students who have never played a stringed instrument.. Other grades may be invited if enrollment allows. Classes are capped at 15. Students will learn the fundamentals of playing a string instrument including position, musicianship, and technique. Choose from violin, viola, cello or bass. All students must provide their own instrument and bow, shoulder rest for violin/viola, end-pin stop for cello/bass, rosin, & cleaning cloth. A local string shop (such as Blackerby, Terra Nova, or Violins, Etc.) can size your student and help with accessories.

Beginning Level 2 (Grades 3-4):

This class is designed as a continuation of beginning level 1. Students will continue to refine posture, build on technique skills, while transitioning into music reading. A folding music stand, 1" black binder, and the method book essential elements will be needed for this class as well as a working instrument in the correct size with accessories. *Be sure to buy the book for your instrument. "Double bass" is the same as "bass".

Intermediate Orchestra on Mondays:

Students will explore progressing levels of technique and musicianship. Students will be expected to have mastered the basics of their instrument, show good practice habits and demonstrate sufficient discipline to positively participate in an hour long rehearsal, even when not being directly addressed. Additional supplies include a folding music stand, 1" black binder, and our method book, Essential Elements, Book 2. *Be sure to buy the book for your instrument. "Double bass" is the same as "bass".

Advanced Orchestra on Fridays:

Students will explore advancing levels of technique, musicianship, and repertoire. Students will be expected to have mastered the basics of his/her instrument, music-reading skills, rehearsal etiquette, and show good practice habits. Additional supplies include a folding music stand, 1" black binder, and a method book, Orchestral Bowing: Style & Function by James Kjelland.

Payment (through Ms. Zenfell): Option 1: $25 reg. fee, $200 due prior to first class of the semester. Option 2: $25 reg. fee, $50 due prior to first class, and $50 by the 1st of each month (equaling $200 total). Please note that registration is by semester, not by the month. All payments cash or check, for credit cards add 5% or $5, whichever is less.

To change from Orchestra to another, please first withdraw from the activity your student is leaving. Then select the new activity by completing the Program Selection Form. (There is no need to complete another Registration Packet.)

Transition to Activity Care, K-5th, $25 monthly

This option is ONLY for students enrolled in an a la carte program.

Students may only sign up for the time before or after their a la carte class.

August 2017 - May 2018

How to register

-- Step 1: Fill out the Triple A On-line Registration Packet

-- Step 2: Fill out the Triple A On-line Program Selection Form

-- Step 3: Look for an emailed invoice within 10 business days. Once you receive the invoice via email, follow the instructions to pay on-line.

This option is for students who need supervision on the day of their a la carte program. The fee is $25 per hour for the time between school release and the start of the class. If care is needed after the class, there is an additional $25 fee per hour. For example, if the a la carte program is two days per week and the student needs care between school release and the start of their a la carte class each day, the fee would be $50 per month.

To change from Transition to Activty Care to another, please first withdraw from the activity your student is leaving. Then select the new activity by completing the Program Selection Form. (There is no need to complete another Registration Packet.)